Infant&Child_Notes_CHAPTER_3-4.docx

Infertility

The condition of being unable to conceive a child, which has become more common in the US.

Miscarriage

The spontaneous loss of a pregnancy, often without identifiable causes, with estimates suggesting that around 50% of pregnancies end in miscarriage.

Fertilization

The process where a single sperm penetrates the ovum's cell membrane, typically occurring in the fallopian tube.

Placenta

An essential organ for the organism's development through the umbilical cord, providing nutrients and oxygen to the fetus.

Ectopic Pregnancy

A condition where the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, often in the fallopian tube, which can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.

Gastrulation

The process during embryonic development where the three germ layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm) form, giving rise to different body structures.

Mitosis

Cell division resulting in two identical daughter cells, a crucial process in the transformation from zygote to embryo and then fetus.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death that occurs after implantation, leading to the formation of specialized structures and functions in cells.

Neural Tube

A structure formed in the embryo that will develop into the baby's spine, critical for the nervous system's development.

Kangaroo Care

A method involving skin-to-skin contact between a naked baby and the mother's bare skin, helping regulate the baby's body temperature and fostering bonding.

Depth Perception

The ability to perceive vertical distance from a top surface or space to a bottom one.

Binocular Cues

Visual depth perception cues that depend on visual experience, developing around 2 months of age and important for activities like eating or breastfeeding.

Monocular Cues

Depth perception cues that can be used around 6 months of age, aiding in perceiving distance.

Visual Cliff

An apparatus developed by Eleanor Gibson and Richard Walk to test depth perception, where infants with crawling experience avoid the deep side, indicating perception of depth.

Reflex Behavior

Full-term infants display various reflex behaviors with some having survival value, evolutionary significance, or as precursors to later voluntary behaviors.

Growth Norms

Height and weight averages for children of the same age, influenced by genetics, nutrition, and parental care.

Failure to Thrive (FTT)

A condition where a child's weight is consistently below the 3rd-5th percentile for age and sex, or there is a decrease in major growth percentiles.

Motor Development

The progression of movement skills in infants, influenced by maturation, practice, and dynamic systems theory.

Reaching

Initially limited to pre-reaching movements, infants develop stable reaching abilities around 7 months, showing signs of anticipation and intention by 10 months.

Locomotion

The ability to move independently, with infants typically beginning to crawl around 8 months and walking independently at 12 to 14 months, influenced by cultural practices.